Mission Hill Reserve Merlot 2017

From vineyards in the Black Sage Bench of the southern Okanagan, this was aged 15 months in French and American oak. It has lovely ripe blackberry fruit aromas so typical of merlot, with considerable oak, tobacco, resin and spice from the barrels. It is quite smooth, medium to full bodied with fine, firm tannin. Alcohol is a bit hot. The length is very good. This is textbook B.C. merlot well crafted, which is very much the purpose of Mission Hill's Reserves. Score - 89. (David Lawrason, winealign.com, May 19, 2020)